Portable mats



R. W. CUSTER PORTABLE MATS Feb. 5, 1963 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 30, 1958 4| 3 FIG.

I n m m FIG.3.

INVENTOR.

ATTOR NE R. w. CUSTER 3,076,390

PORTABLE MATS 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Feb. 5, 1963 Filed Dec. so, 1958 FIG.5.

INVENTOR.

RICH RD .CUSTER ATTORNEY United States The present invention relates to portable mats, and particularly to mats which are connected side-by-side and end-to-end to form runways and parking areas for aircraft.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an end connection between identical portable mats which allows the mats to be easily assembled in endto-end relationship.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide an end connection for portable mats each comprised of a flat top surface, an intermediate corrugated member, and a flat bottom surface which allows a plurality of the mats to be connected end-to-end and side-by-side to present a flat flush surface.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent as the description proceeds, especially when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment of the invention, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view showing the mat connected in end-to-end relationship.

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view .taken through line 2--2, FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a sectional View taken through line 3--3, FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a plan view of one end of the mat.

FIGURE 5 is a plan view of the opposite end of the mat shown in FIGURE 4.

FIGURE 6 is a fragmentary section on the line 6---6,

. FIGURE 4.

Referring now to the drawings, there is illustrated at 10 a mat having an upper surface plate 12, a corrugated intermediate member 14, and a lower surface plate 16. The mat may be fabricated from any suitable sheet material; aluminum gives excellent results and provides a mat of suflicient strength to withstand the usage to which it is subjected to and a mat light in weight to be easily handled.

The upper plate 12 is fabricated from a plurality of strips 18 which are welded together in side-by-side relationship and to member 14 by welding as at 20. The lower plate 16 is also fabricated from strips 22 which are welded together in side-by-side relationship and to member 14 by welding as at 24.

Along one lateral edge of the mat T-shaped projections 28 are formed by the intermediate corrugated member 14 and are spaced at equal intervals. In alignment with some or one of said projections are locking bars 29-. Along the opposite lateral edge slots 30 and notches 32 are equally spaced to match projections 28 and bars 29. When connecting like mats together in side-by-side relationship, the heads of the projections 28 are inserted through the slots 30 by tilting the side opposite the projections upwardly. At this time bar 29 will be located between two notches 32. With the projections through the slots, the mat is moved lengthwise until the bar 29 registers with a notch 32. The mat is then laid flat with the bar inserted in the notch which holds the mats securely together.

To provide for an overlapping end connection of the mats, the-bottom plate 16 of one end of the mat is offset downwardly as shown at 40 (FIGURE 2) to form ofiset portions 41. Member 14 is cut back along one lateral edge as seen at 42 and 44 to form a notch, and along the opposite lateral edge, as seen at 46 and 48 to atent O rows.

3,076,390 Patented Feb. 5, 1963 'ice form-a notch. Member 14 terminates along end 50 and is oifset downwardly at 52 as best seen in FIGURE 2 but also as indicated by the dotted lines in FIGURE 4. The downwardly offset portion is indicated at 53. Top plate 12 terminates along edge 54' and bottom plate 16 terminates along edge 56.

The corrugated intermediate member *14 is provided with a plurality of perforations 58 which reduce the Weight of the member without sacrificing strength. The perforations are arranged in longitudinal and transverse In longitudinal alignment with the perforations 58 adjacent one side edge of the mat are apertures 60 formed in the lower surface plate 16. A similar aperture 60 is located intermediate the side edges of the mat. Threaded posts 62 are positioned in apertures 60 and are secured by welding as indicated at 64. Member 6-2 is preferably fabricated from a harder material than the material of the mat, such as stainless steel or steel. A bar 66 is welded to the underside of top plate 12 adjacent the end thereof and supports the projecting portion 68 and holds the offset portion 53 of member 14 in posit-ion and spaced from the edge portion 68 of the top plate 12. To provide for an overlapping connection between opposite ends of the mat channel-shaped corrugated portions 74 of member 14 are flared outwardly as at 76 (FIGURE 4) so that the offset portion 53 is widened as at 78.

The opposite end of the mat 10 has the terminal edge .80 of bottom plate to offset inwardly from terminal edges 82 and 8d of member 14 and top plate 12 respectively. Apertures 91? in plate 16, 92 in member 14, and 9 6 in plate 12 are located adjacent the ends 80, 82 and and are in longitudinal and transverse alignment with perforations 53. Apertures 9t), 92 and 94 are in vertical axial alignment with each other.

To connect the mats in end-to-end relationship, the end of one mat 1-9 is placed adjacent the end of a like mat in with the projections 28 at the same side of both mats. Apertures 2d are placed over threaded members 62 with channel-shaped portions 74 nesting inside flared out channel-shaped portions 78. Sufficient clearance is provided between portions 74 and '73 so that the mats may be easily assembled and removed.

Socket head screw 1% ha a rounded head portion 162 and a threaded screw portion 1%. Shoulder portion 196 centers the screw 1% in the aperture 24 with clearance for easy assemblage. Square shaped socket 198 is centered in the head with shoulder 11%) providing extra material to strengthen the screw beneath the socket. Screw lift) is preferably made of harder material than the top plate 12 of the mat such as stainless steel or steel, and when tightened with a suitable wrench will seat itself against the top plate by cutting into the softer material of the top plate (such as aluminum), preventing the screw from coming loose from vibration.

The drawings and the foregoing specification constitute a description of the improved portable mat in such full, clear, concise and exact terms as to enable any person skilled in the art to practice the invention, the scope of which is indicated by the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention is:

1. A pair of mats in end to end connection, each mat comprising an assembly of upper, intermediate and lower plates, the intermediate plate of one of said mats being corrugated and terminating at one end of said one mat in axially spaced relation to the ends of the upper and lower plate of said one mat, said lower plate at said one end of said one mat extending longitudinally beyond the corresponding end of the top plate thereof, the intermediate plate of the other of said mats being corrugated and the lower plate of the end of said other mat adjacent said one end of said one of said mats being tering on said extended lower plate of said one mat with the assembly post extending through the opening in said lower plate of said other mat, said intermediate, and upper plate of said other mats each having an opening extending therethrough aligned with the opening in the lower plate, and a fastener extending through theopening in the intermediate and upper plate engaging the assembly post of said one mat to lock the mats in end to end connection.

2. Structure as claimed in claim 1 wherein the one end of the bottom plate and intermediate plate of said one mat is otfset downwardly and the corrugations of the intermediate plate are widened inthe otfset portion 4, and receive the end portion of the corrugated intermediate plate of the adjacent end of the other of said mats.

3. Structure as claimed in claim 2 wherein said assembly post has an internally threaded opening therethrough and wherein said fastening means comprises a headed bolt threadedly engaged with said assembly post.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,191,547 Wiedeman July 18, 1916 1,207,734 Feeley Dec. 12, 1916' 2,167,285 Smith July 25, 1939 2,268,520 Wesley Dec. 30, 1941 2,447,272 Parkes Aug. 17, 1948 2,728,276 Greulich Dec. 27, 1955 2,950,788 Edgar Aug, 30, 1960 

1. A PAIR OF MATS IN END TO END CONNECTION, EACH MAT COMPRISING AN ASSEMBLY OF UPPER, INTERMEDIATE AND LOWER PLATES, THE INTERMEDIATE PLATE OF ONE OF SAID MATS BEING CORRUGATED AND TERMINATING AT ONE END OF SAID ONE MAT IN AXIALLY SPACED RELATION TO THE ENDS OF THE UPPER AND LOWER PLATE OF SAID ONE MAT, SAID LOWER PLATE AT SAID ONE END OF SAID ONE MAT EXTENDING LONGITUDINALLY BEYOND THE CORRESPONDING END OF THE TOP PLATE THEREOF, THE INTERMEDIATE PLATE OF THE OTHER OF SAID MATS BEING CORRUGATED AND THE LOWER PLATE OF THE END OF SAID OTHER MAT ADJACENT SAID ONE END OF SAID ONE OF SAID MATS BEING TERMINATED SHORT OF THE ENDS OF THE INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER PLATES THEREOF, AN ASSEMBLY POST EXTENDING UPWARDLY FROM THE EXTENDED PORTION OF THE LOWER PLATE OF SAID ONE MAT, SAID LOWER PLATE OF SAID OTHER MAT HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING THROUGH THE ADJACENT END THEREOF, THE ADJACENT END OF THE LOWER PLATE OF SAID OTHER MAT RESTING ON SAID EXTENDED LOWER PLATE OF SAID ONE MAT WITH THE ASSEMBLY POST EXTENDING THROUGH THE OPENING IN SAID LOWER PLATE OF SAID OTHER MAT, SAID INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER PLATE OF SAID OTHER MATS EACH HAVING AN OPENING EXTENDING THERETHROUGH ALIGNED WITH THE OPENING IN THE LOWER PLATE, AND A FASTENER EXTENDING THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE INTERMEDIATE AND UPPER PLATE ENGAGING THE ASSEMBLY POST OF SAID ONE MAT TO LOCK THE MATS IN END TO END CONNECTION. 